Networks of elements (e.g., packet switches, servers, routers, and the like) may be managed by an element manager. The element manager may perform various functions such as receiving alarms from the elements, upgrading software or firmware on the elements, and configuring the elements. In order to manage the elements of the network, the element manager may use addresses of the elements by which the element manager may communicate with the elements. In some cases, a network operator may manually provide the element manager with the addresses. In other cases, the element manager may ping a range of addresses in search of the elements.
For some management functions, the element manager may need connection information describing how the elements connect to each other in order to display a network topology. In some configurations, the network topology may represent physical connections between the elements. Typically, in such configurations, the network operator manually provides connection information describing physical connections between the elements to the element manager.
In some configurations of the elements, two of the elements may be logically connected by a tunnel but may each be physically connected to different intermediate elements that facilitate the tunnel. Typically, the element manager is unable to distinguish between the logical connections and the physical connections.
The tunnel may be configured to relay layer-two control packets conforming to some protocols and may be configured not to relay layer-two control packets conforming to other protocols. A desired tunnel configuration supplied by a network operator may specify which layer-two protocols are to be tunneled and which are not to be tunneled. In some networks, the element manager may be unable to verify whether the tunnel is relaying the layer-two control protocols indicated by the desired tunnel configuration.